Fire, Cinders and Ashes
by Glenshadow9
Summary: "She was going to be the finest medicine cat ThunderClan had ever seen, and help her clan to become strong." A Cinderpelt-viewpoint one-shot for Cinderpelt fans, NOT FirestarXSandstorm fans.


Hais – I tried a one-shot for a change.

Naw, that's not quite right. It's more like a this-is-all-I-can-manage-right-now with load upon load of homeworks and projects and exams and essays and all the other whatnots. Why do teachers give homework, anyway? I hardly have time to even sleep! XB

Ta-daaaa. This is my first Warriors fanfic. Yes, pretty gloomy subject, isn't it? That purrfectly reflects my current mood…

I guess this is just to say sorry for anyone who was waiting for new chapters. I'm REEALLY sorry if you haven't read Warriors because then it'll probably make no sense at all. :( This is for Warriors fans only, I guess. Make sure you've already read the first series if you're reading this. ;)

...And make sure you're not a Firestar fangirl, just in case.

Okay, I'll stop babbling now.

Oh, btw the part written in Italic is a flashback, though I think you'll know because Cinderpelt is still Cinderpaw. But then... there were TWO Cinderpaws, weren't there? Just in case. ;)

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**Fire, Cinders and Ashes**

'How can you be so irresponsible?' Cinderpelt hissed. 'You're a medicine cat. It's your duty to serve your clan. That is the will of StarClan. Or are you going to turn your back on StarClan?' She knew she had to keep trying, no matter how much it hurt. She would not let her apprentice, let Firestar's daughter, make this mistake.

'You don't understand how I feel. You've never loved any cat in your life!' Leafpool spat. 'You were always that _perfect_ medicine cat, who was never unsure, who's always wanted to be a medicine cat. You can _never_ understand what this means to me!'

_No!_ Cinderpelt lunged at Leafpool, claws unsheathed. Hurt and fury tore at her heart. 'You know _nothing_ about me!'

Leafpool dodged, then turned tail and fled, anger still burning in her eyes. She disappeared into the forest.

_Cinderpaw peered out of the medicine cat's den. She could just make out the flame-coloured outline from her nest, standing outside the warrior's den. His pelt glowed with moonlight like silver fire. The cat who had once been her mentor stared outside at something she couldn't see, his expression unreadable._

_Fireheart stood there, not moving, his frozen green eyes glowing._

_The flame-coloured warrior still filled her with awe whenever she saw him. She still remembered the days when she was still his apprentice, short though they were. She still longed to be a warrior, just like him. She still remembered that day when she went alone to the Thunderpath. She'd wanted to prove herself to her mentor, to make him proud of her. But instead she was hit by a monster, and she'd broken her leg. She could still feel the anguish she felt as Fireheart told her she could never be a warrior._

_He'd found her, lying injured on the Thunderpath, and carried her back to camp. He'd done everything he could to help her. She'd seen the sadness and guilt in his eyes as he looked at her. She felt as if she'd let him down, that it was her fault he felt like that. He was brave and loyal, and he'd been the best mentor she could ever have had._

_No, Fireheart was more than that. He was a warrior, her mentor, everything she'd wanted to be. She'd looked up to him. She'd wanted to please him so much, to hear him praise her. _

_And now she'd lost her chance to fulfil her dream, to become a warrior like him. She'd loved him with everything in her heart. She still did._

No, _she thought. She was a medicine cat apprentice now, bound to walk on StarClan's path. She was not allowed to love, nor have a mate. She knew she could never love Fireheart as a medicine cat. _

_She was going to be the finest medicine cat ThunderClan had ever seen, and help her clan to become strong. _Nothing can change that,_ she told herself. _This is the only way you can still serve your clan.

_She heard pawsteps outside the den, and looked out to see Fireheart. She limped out._

_Cinderpaw guarded her emotions as best as she could, despite her racing heart. 'Hello, Fireheart. Do you need anything?'_

_The ginger warrior's eyes were troubled. 'I need your help.' He meowed. He sat down, curling his tail over his front paws._

_He talked about his problems, his doubts, and Cinderpaw nodded and remarked as best as she could. She hid her grief behind a friendly mask, trying harder and harder as Fireheart went on, despite the growing agony in her heart._

_She knew what she should say, what she _had_ to say. It was her duty as a medicine cat to advise and reassure her clanmates. _Fireheart is just another clan cat, _she kept repeating to herself. _He deserves the same as any other cat. I can't let my emotions control me, I'm a medicine cat. Tell him what he needs to hear. A medicine cat mustn't choose to help or not to help a cat because of her feelings. She must treat every cat fairly. She must be unselfish. She must be… – _Again and again, over and over as she listened to Fireheart._

I'm a medicine cat now. Nothing can change that._ She steeled herself._

_'Stop thinking about Spottedleaf. Don't let the past drag you down. You have to move on. You have to pay attention to the present. …And be nicer to Sandstorm, would you?'_

_Fireheart looked confused. Both pity and longing filled her as Cinderpaw realised that he hadn't even noticed the attentions the ginger she-cat was giving him. 'What do you mean?'_

_Cinderpaw knew she had to say it. She couldn't hold him back because of her own feelings._

_She tried her best to fix a light, amused tone, and with a sense of falling, said, 'Every cat knows that Sandstorm is _very_ fond of you, Fireheart. Don't tell me you didn't notice.'_

_She bit down on her tongue as she felt her heart shatter to pieces. It _hurt. _It took all of her self-control not to start wailing in anguish._

_She still stood rigid as Fireheart mumbled something and walked away. 'Goodbye, Fireheart.' She whispered as he vanished into the warrior's den, Sandstorm at his side._

Cinderpelt stood there, panting, staring at the still-swaying ferns.

Had she done the right thing?

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I know, I know, this fanfic's pathetically short, even for my standards. I'm reeeally sorry about that, but that's all the time I can spare right now. I'm just hoping that my mum'll let me bring my laptop with me, because I'm (more specifically "we're") going overseas during the holidays…

Please review if you liked it. Flamers are also welcome, so long as they don't include any swearing. ;3


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